Signed. Concerns defense of Escandon; begins with minimization of charges and a briefly history of Escandons' ascendant career, merits from king; Escandon was in arms and participating in the ejection of British in Laguna in 1720; 1728, was named by virrey as sargento mayor later virrey gave him the title of Coronel; November 15, 1741, Escandon was named as teniente general de la Sierra gorda he gave missions to Franciscanos religious from San Diego de pachuca and San Fernando; he founded and establish four villages with no cost to the royal hacienda; September 3, 1746 in a royal decree full of eulogys virrey gives to Escandon all responsibilities in the mission of pacification de los barbaros de la Sierra gorda and he is named lugar teniente de la Costa del Seno Mexicano; December 1748, founded the first village in area which by 1759 had 20 villages; on folio 182 details of population; in 1757 virrey sent comission to investigate colony; in 1765 virrey orders Escandon to found five new villages in strategic places to stop the continual Indians attacks; strongest defense allegation is envy of Resendi family against Escandon and their plan to get him out of the colony and appeal to the virrey for the titles for their family; in folio 229 is a Spaniards description of Indians; defense by Escandon who defends himself charge by charge; since Escandon was commissioned by the virrey y la junta real de hacienda, they knew that it was a project that was subject to failure, in other words he was not obligated to succeed in his attempt; in selecting captains Escandon never chose the most specialized but selected the ones that were dedicated to the well being of the village; all that the fiscal imputed to Escandon was never supported with real evidence only anonimous statements from someone who heard rumors but had no hard evidence; not even fray Garcia was found in his mission to testify against Escandon to the auditors Osorio and Palacio; in regard to the murder of Indians by Escandon's captains, the fiscal never found witnesses; some of the crimes were investigated by Escandon and he found that the actions benefited the pacification and well being of the village. Escandon repremanded the captain and notified the capitania general. The women and children were placed in missions when the men were murdered or sent to a presidio but never were they sold and sent to Querataro in a collera as the accusations assert; in treatment of criminals, Escandon always followed the royal laws which permitted pardons of criminals if they serve the king. These people were serving the king by risking their lifes in the establishment of the colony; in regard to his rejection of Apaches, he argues it is well known that Apaches don't want anything except trading, and that Spain suffers terribles consequences when it assumes Apaches will remain peaceful in missions. He argued that too often they will suddenly murder, rape and destroy a village. For this reason Escandon avoided Apaches. On March 29, 1763, the royal cedula expired which authorized captain trenda y el ingeniero de la Camara alta to make the first audit of Escandon and nothing wrong was found except for the plot of the Resendi family, 17800 question the official informe by saying that it was corrupted by la voz de oro y Plata de Escandon pudo mas; but in the second audit nobody knew about it, not even the fiscal o el auditor and the results were no different. Escandon is exonerated from all charges. Descendants of Escandon have the right to claim what Escandon left them. (D. Bautista, November 1989)

Series of charges against Escandon. First charge, folio 10, that Escandon did not reduce Indians peacefully and failed to populate the colony; second charge folio 60 that Escandon did not distribute the land between people, soldiers and Indians during twenty years; third charge, folio 77, that he did not take in to account the meeting of 1748 on election of captains and treatment of Indians; fourth charge, folio 88, failure to investigate the murder of several Indians; fifth charge, folio 90, failure of Escandon to investigate and punish captain Guevara's murder of a group of Indians; sixth charge, folio 90, no investigation of other murders by Unsaga; seventh charge, folio 91, Escandon orders killing of three Indians, one a minor; eighth charge, folio 93, a citizen of Aguayo complains to to Escandon about the behaviour of a captain, Escandon punishes the complainer and when the wife of the complainer goes to look for him and she was murdered by the Indians; ninth charge, folio 95, Escandon separates Indian men from their wifes and children, and sells Indians to other cities resulting in Indian retaliation and thus starting wars with Xanambres and Apostatas. He is accused of twenty years of fraud, despotism, trials without authority, misappropriation of land; 10 charge folio 98, Escandon sends 173 Indians to Querataro; eleventh charge, folio 100, Escandon kept three Indians working for him for fifteen years; twelfth charge, folio 103, Escandon abused his power to use the death penalty and forced labor in the presidio; thirteenth charge, folio 103, he used comissions to get Indians for his own service; fourteenth charge, folio 106, he failed to protect Indian health; fifteenth charge, folio 107, he used Indians to build his house and maintain his lands; sixteenth charge, folio 108, he failed to investigate or punish two sheperds who murdered an Indian; seventeenth charge, folio 110, Escandon populated colony with dangerous criminals getting the nickname of colonia Portugal de Nueva Espana; eighteenth charge, folio 114, Escandon forgives Indians that confess crimes and puts them in esquadras militares; nineteenth charge, folio 115, Escandon intimidated new settlers he did not like and gave instructions not to accept them; twentieth charge, folio 117, he appointed a murderer from Reinosa as captain; twenty first charge, folio 119, Escandon admitted a delinquent from Coahuila; twenty second charge, folio 121, twice Escandon destroyed the church of the Pisones Indians; twenty third charge, folio 123, has taken land from Indians of Santa Rosa; twenty fourth charge, folio 125, Escandon did not build a church in Laredo for the spiritual benefit of the Spaniards and Indians; twenty fifth charge, folio 128, for a period of 14 years Escandon remained minister of Santillana village; twenty sixth charge, folio 129, Escandon did not permit the redistribution of Diezmos from labranzas y crianzas in the colony for 20 years; twenty seventh charge, folio 131, Escandon renamed places; twenty eighth charge, folio 135, Escandon became rich and did not pay diezmos; twenty ninth charge, folio 138, Escandon gave a captain more than five Leguas at border of Rio Grande, other land and did not pay any diezmo to church of Guadalaxara; thirtieth charge, folio 141, Escandon was paying salaries to ministers in places that had no ministers; thirty first charge, folio 141, Escandon did not accept Indians in his village because he did not want to give them protection; thirty second charge, folio 144, he gave instructions to captain of Laredo not to admit Apaches; thirty third charge, folio 147, Escandon did not give 100 pesos to the colonists of San Carlos; thirty fourth charge, folio 148, Escandon refused to receive the bishop from Guadalaxara; thirty fifth charge, folio 151, he became a trader, knowing gobernadores were prohibited from trade; thirty sixth, charge, folio 158, Escandon permit exploitation of mines and use of silver without paying tax; thirty seventh charge, folio 160, since the year 1746 he had not reduced or pacified any Indians; last charge folio 162, complaints from capitania general related to Escandon's procedures. The next group of folios (166-319) are the defense of Escandon. (D. Bautista, nov, 1989)

Testimonios compiled by Escandon document Escandon's visit to Revilla 1753. Includes detailed biographical information on Revilla Spanish families (names, wives, name, age of children, number of animals and weapons). Tables tally total number horses and herd animals. Fragoso mentions peacefulness of Comecrudos, Tejones, Nazas, Narizes and recommends that corn ration for these Indians not be cut as planned. (S. Gibbs, October 1989)

Testimonios compiled by Escandon document Escandon's visit to Burgos 1753. Includes detailed biographical information on Burgos Spanish families (names, wives, number and age of children, number of animals, weapons). Table tallies total number of horses and beasts in Burgos (ff. 0181). (S. Gibbs, October, 1989)

Testimonios compiled by Escandon document Escandon's visit to Camargo, Cantaro, Revilla, 1751-3. Includes detailed biographical information on Cantaro and Revilla Spanish families (names, wives, number and age of children, number of animals and weapons). Tables tally total number of horses and beasts (ff. 146r, 155r). (S. Gibbs, October 1989)

Testimonio compiled by Escandon discusses Escandon's visit to San Fernando 1752 and Camargo 1753. Includes detailed biographical information on Spanish families in San Fernando and Camargo (names, wives, number and age of children, number of animals or weapons owned). Population of San Fernando engages in herding, salt making, fishing. Mentions location of cattle grazing sites near Camargo (folio 134r). Includes tables tallying number of horses and herd animals (folios 120r, 135r). (S. Gibbs, September 1989)

Blanquer asks retirement and pension as an invalid; notice that Blanquer served only one year at Principe and left with unearned salary, which was eventually paid back; very detailed biography of Blanquer; passport of Blanquer; some records of works completed; various scandals and disturbances concerning opposition to vacant seat of Dean y Cavildo pointed to as evidence of lack of qualification for Blanquer and seen as reason for his departure from Durango to Principe; Ugarte y Loyola points to 200 pesos given for transport against wages and then stolen in route, and Blanquer's slow arrival at Principe as further evidence of bad character; pension denied by fiscal because Blanquer not long enough in post, for not repaying advance of salary, and for lack of money in real Caja (p. Coyle November 1989)

Troncoso commissioned to take up post as Segundo teniente to work out peace with Indians of Sonora and Nueva Vizcaya; he refuses, preferring to remain in Santa Fe with family; women referred to as his wife, daughter of Coronel de Ansa; Troncoso famed as tactful negotiator with Comanches; recommendation made that he be demoted to capitan de Milicias, with salary consequently too low to keep family fed; various letters dealing with officers' promotions; eventually agreement reached that he remain in Santa Fe as segunda teniente, and other officers take up post in Sonora and Nueva Vizcaya; very interesting documents. (D. J. McClelland, January 1989)

Concerns Ugarte's request for promotion to Mariscal de Campo, his personal history and present conditions under his command. Mentions his beginning as Cadete, previous positions and commanders and 56 years of service. Mentions success with Comanches and against Apaches. says Sonora most devoted to agriculture. Mentions peace with Chiricaquis. Includes copy of request for promotion from governor to comandante general. Virrey responds saying will not combine two comandancias under Ugarte's command but will recommend promotion to king. (M. Dannemiller, February 1989)

Concerns events leading to present conditions in provincias under virrey's predecessor and explanation of Ugarte's difficulty with Ugalde. Detailed description of relations with several tribes. says displeasure arose from previous virrey's refusal to acknowledge Ugalde's insubordination and the serious setbacks suffered under his command. says Ugalde misguided Florez and violated many important peace pacts with Mescaleros. Provides description of conditions of Ovedsitas and Toacanas, enemies of Apaches. Mentions territories of tribes. says he established peace with Comanches who also assist in Apache destruction. Describes conditions of peace or war with different Apache branches. Mentions some tribes are Christian. Navajos have broken alliance with Gilenos and no longer conduct raids as was condition before comandancia was divided due to lack of knowledge of these relations. says this event offended Indians who returned to agression. says Texas and Coahuila should return under on command and Leon can defend with own troops led by governors. Includes personal history and mention of receipt of title from Galvez. (M. Dannemiller, February 1989)